5 Easy Ways to Give Back as a Family This Holiday Season

This post is sponsored by Amazon, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve had a really interesting thing happen over the last several years.

And it’s unique only in that I was raised to be a holiday FANATIC, and I thrive on the holidays as an adult too. I’ve had a few times here and there within the last five years or so, in which I didn’t feel the holiday spirit. And I mean not at all. I didn’t get lost in the smells of wood-burning smoke and peppermint coffee. I didn’t sing carols with my kids, get teary-eared at our town holiday parade, or dress like a moose or reindeer to walk around town. These experiences were flukes, but they made me never want to lack that spirit again. We celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas, and we go big for New Year’s too. What a shame to miss out on the big excitement.

5 Easy Ways to Give Back as a Family This Holiday Season:

So, here’s the thing. I didn’t want to feel those spirt-less holiday seasons anymore, so quite simply, I don’t. I make sure it’s as meaningful as possible, and that includes traditions with my family and extended family, giving back to my community and beyond, and making traditions around giving back to worthy causes. Magic, right? Right. That’s why I love that Amazon makes it easy for us to give back during the holidays and all year long. And I’m going to show you all about it today!

1 – Make stockings for a women’s/children’s shelter:

Here’s what we were told that women’s shelters are looking for the most – sweatshirts, socks, hygiene kits, blankets, towels, sheets, pillow cases, electric toothbrushes, journals, pens, slippers, pajamas, alarm clocks, strollers, toy trucks and cars, dolls, crayons and coloring books, art supplies, backpacks, board games, puzzles, books, purses, wallets, perfume and videos.

And of course, make stockings for all people. We have a women’s shelter right in town and it’s an organization we work with throughout the year so I’ve done my research.

2 – Clean out the toy closet. My kids have unwrapped toys in their closets – that are either duplicates, or they never got around to opening/playing with. This is a great time of year for them to donate games, clothing, toys, and more to donate to a local shelter or non-profit. Another idea that we do is to take them shopping for new toys they would love, but are happy to donate.

Check out Amazon Delivering Smiles in THREE ways!

3 – First of all, we have AmazonSmile Charity Lists. This is an easy way to browse by cause or search for your favorite organization’s Charity List. There, you can purchase items and have them delivered directly to the charity at their designated address. Try it out here, and see how easy it is to find your favorite charity or charities!

4 – Discover AmazonSmile! This one allows you to support your favorite charitable organization by donating a portion of the purchase price of eligible items in your order on Amazon to the charity of your choice. This was what we did this week! I asked the kids to think of some organizations we could narrow it down with. They chose their own school, as well as the local pet shelter we love. We’ve got two cats from the shelter, and they couldn’t be kinder and more supportive there.

You’re able to change the charity you support, but make sure you’re always on the AmazonSmile page – starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com. You’ll be able to track how much you’ve donated to that organization, and watch it grow!

5 – And then we have Alexa! Did you know that Amazon makes it easier than ever to get into the giving spirit with Alexa? You can donate to a registered charity of your choice by simply saying, “Alexa, I want to make a donation” to any Alexa-enabled device.

Now is the time to join us in delivering smiles with Amazon ! I love that they make it easier than ever to give back this holiday season with their three ways to donate: AmazonSmile, AmazonSmile Charity Lists, and donating with Alexa. If you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift, why not give your loved ones the opportunity to give back to their community? If you gift an Amazon gift card, your loved ones can pay it forward by purchasing from an AmazonSmile Charity List. We love AmazonSmile because every time I make a purchase, I know that a portion is going to my organization of choice. It makes online shopping even more fun.

So, what ways to give back are you doing this year?

Don’t forget to visit Amazon’s holiday store at smile.amazon.com/holiday today!